FMG COMBAT UNITS - Rules: AIR TRANSPORT

I was thinking that air transports move 5 +1 with air base for the desired 6. it moves farther than a fighter but less than a bomber. troops have to be loaded at an airbase. when you are in combat move you have to drop troops off then fly back to friendly zone, so really…you wont be going too far into enemy territories. in non combat, transports can move the full 5+1 to allied territory, but the transport movement is over and cant move till next turn. can only transport 1 infantry ncm and cm. cost 10 ipc. can load 2 soldiers if you get the paratrooper tech

@ Tall Paul (or anyone)

Why do you want to require AB for return flight of air transport after dropping paratroop in CM but not for bombers?  If a bomber can fly five spaces, drop bombs, and then land one TT behind a newly conquered one why can’t the transport do the same?

@FM7:

@ Tall Paul (or anyone)

Why do you want to require AB for return flight of air transport after dropping paratroop in CM but not for bombers?  If a bomber can fly five spaces, drop bombs, and then land one TT behind a newly conquered one why can’t the transport do the same?

The airbase landing requirement is only for transport planes that are ferrying 2 infantry units during the non-combat move. I think IL explained it to me as that requirement is to represent the logistics necessary in transporting extra men from one spot to another.
For combat move paratroop drops, the transport plane doesn’t need to land at an airbase. It can do like you say and land in any friendly territory as long as it was friendly at the start of the turn. For that freedom in landing space, it is restricted to 1 paratroop unit.

Got it, thanks.

@knp7765:

I had an idea last night regarding the new Air Transport planes (which we should have for every nation before too much longer if FMG can kick their Chinese factory in the butt) and the Paratroops tech for Global 1940. So far, the rules regarding Air Transport planes seems to be:
Cost 10, Move 4, Attack=0, Defense=0
Last unit in territory to be destroyed, much like sea transports in naval battles.
Can carry 1 Paratroop unit for Combat Move, 2 infantry/paratroop/marines/etc. in Non Combat Move. MUST be loaded at an Air Base in CM or NCM.
Paratroops can be dropped behind enemy lines and transport can land in any friendly territory in Combat Move.
Infantry/Paratroops/Marines/etc. must be off loaded at a friendly Air Base in Non Combat Move.
Can be hit by AA fire and if so, paratroops/ infantry/ etc. are lost with plane.

Okay, so I thought if we didn’t want to change the Paratroop tech too much and to accomodate our new piece, the Paratroop Tech could simply be changed to say that now Air Transport planes can carry 2 (TWO) Paratroop units into a battle. Perhaps simply call it “Improved Paratroop Abilities”.
Sound Good?

I don’t think “chosen last” in combat is necessary for air transports.  Sea transports are dirt cheap compared to other sea or air units, so it made sense there.  These units are more than 3 times the price of an inf unit.  No one is going to be using air transports as fodder.

We just made air transports cheaper in our house rules and they have no combat value and are taken last.

In the end, we went this route (still subject to change, as we always seem to reveal some flaw each game, though we rarely use house rules):

Air Transports

Cost 8. No build limit

0/0/4. Air transports had about the same range as fighters, and this prevents trans atlantic flights as well as pacific island hopping.

There is no requirement for them to be chosen last as losses.

In combat move: � Can carry 1 para inf. � An airbase is not required, but will add one range (as it does in the NCM). �

When attacking, a transport is considered to retreat as soon as it drops it’s paratrooper (leave it in the space until NCM). � This occurs right after AA fire. � If the transport is shot down by AA, the para inf is lost as well.

A para costs 4 IPC. � Build limit, 1 per turn. � These can’t be saved. � I.e., If you build 0 on turn 6, you can’t build 2 on turn 7.

1/2/1 � When airdropped, it attacks with a 2 on the first cycle, and then reverts to a 1. � A para can be supported by artillery, giving them an attack of 3 in the first cycle, or 2 thereafter.

Non combat move: � If an air transport was not used in combat, it may transport 1 inf type unit in the NCM instead (I still can’t stomach 2. � That’s for the big ships). � No airfields are required and the inf unit does not have to start in the same space as the transport, but it cannot have moved first in either CM or NCM. � An air transport cannot pick up from or land in a territory captured this player turn. � The rule about not having to start in the same space came about after a discussion about a german airdrop on Crete. � The drop was planned for turn 3, but the player was annoyed that he would have to wait until turn 4 to NCM an air transport there, and until turn 5 to get them back to the continent (let alone the idea that they would need to build an airbase first). � If transport ships can move move and pick up, it seemed more consistant to allow � a move-then-pickup like sea transports. � So in the Crete example, the unit is combat dropped from Greece on Turn 3, with the air transport returning to Greece. � On Turn 4, it can fly from Greece, pick up the unit on Crete and use its 2 remaining movement to land wherever. � Most interesting use so far: � A german player used 2 air transports to evacuate a hopeless situation in Norway of its 2 remaining inf in the NCM, with the transports starting and ending their turn in Denmark.

An air transport cannot land on a carrier.

Edit: Deleted Combat move restrictions.  They were confusing. And considering the cost and build limit of paras, they were unnecessary.

My previous post’s rules have been revised and simplified.  The build limits will keep the Russians from being in too much trouble with behind the lines airdrops from the Axis without the complex restrictions.

Lately I play them as 8 Ipc defenseless units that can transport 2 inf. there range is 5. So typically they have a round trip range of a fighter unless they take off from airbase and then the round trip is that of a bomber.